On Monday night, the menu was spaghetti, garlic bread and salad. Tuesday was fried chicken. And both meals were free to those who came and got them this week at the Second Missionary Baptist Church.
The church’s health ministry, along with the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri, will be sponsoring a ten-week program to provide free evening meals to anyone who needs them, Monday through Friday until the beginning of September at the church’s Family Life Center. Though the program mainly focuses on helping children and the elderly, everyone who comes to the meals will be served.
Speaking to the 42 people who came to Monday’s first meal, health ministry chairperson Denise Harrington told them that the free meals weren’t meant to make them look like they were poor, but rather to provide a way for them to starting eating a balanced diet.
“We just want you to come out in fellowship and have healthy lifestyles,” she told the crowd.
Most of those at Monday’s dinner were black and Harrington said advice for losing weight and eating healthy is especially important for them because of the high incidence of obesity-related diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, among the black population.
“It’s just so important that we as African Americans take hold of our healthy eating because most any diagnosis that you have, African Americans lead on all of them,” she said.
The meals are meant to encourage that lifestyle from all aspects of eating; not just the food. Those who come to the meal, especially children, are encouraged to wash their hands and sit at a table with friends to enjoy the meal slowly.
Eating while sitting down is thought to help people to think about what they are eating and whether it is healthy for them.
Monday’s spaghetti and garlic bread was served in portioned sizes doled out by volunteers. Those eating the meal also had healthy choices for beverages: milk or water.
Cheryl Lummis, a nurse and diabetic educator at Audrain Medical Center, spoke to those who came for Monday’s meal about the importance of eating food in the correct portion size and eating slowly enough to digest them fully.
“These meals are to help people learn healthier portions and also learn to make healthier choices,” she said.
She said losing weight does not always have to involve giving up food that tastes good, but requires moderation when eating those foods, such as the spaghetti and fried chicken.
“You can have those things,” she said. “You just can’t have too much of it.”
Lummis said eating slowly helps people judge when they are full. She said it takes the body 20 minutes to signal to the brain that it is satisfied, so people who eat quickly may end up eating more than they need before getting that signal. She urged the group to eat Monday’s meal slowly as a first step in starting their healthy diets.
“You want to feel satisfied, but so many of us don’t know how to do that, because we don’t pay attention,” she said. “My challenge to you guys is to sit, taste your food and really enjoy it.”
Mexico resident Sandy Lecoque was among the first to get her food, lining up with other adults to receive the bowls of spaghetti and salad. As she sat down at her table, she said the program would be helpful in getting people to maintain a healthier diet and lifestyle.
“I think it’s a really good idea,” she said.
The meals are served at 5 p.m. every Monday through Friday until Sept. 3 at the church’s Family Life Center, 418 E. Breckenridge. To receive a meal, all someone has to do is sign their name at the door. Volunteers to help serve the meal are also welcome. For more information about the program, contact Denise Harrington at (573) 581-7106.
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On Monday night, the menu was spaghetti, garlic bread and salad. Tuesday was fried chicken. And both meals were free to those who came and got them this week at the Second Missionary Baptist Church.
The church’s health ministry, along with the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri, will be sponsoring a ten-week program to provide free evening meals to anyone who needs them, Monday through Friday until the beginning of September at the church’s Family Life Center. Though the program mainly focuses on helping children and the elderly, everyone who comes to the meals will be served.
Speaking to the 42 people who came to Monday’s first meal, health ministry chairperson Denise Harrington told them that the free meals weren’t meant to make them look like they were poor, but rather to provide a way for them to starting eating a balanced diet.
“We just want you to come out in fellowship and have healthy lifestyles,” she told the crowd.
Most of those at Monday’s dinner were black and Harrington said advice for losing weight and eating healthy is especially important for them because of the high incidence of obesity-related diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, among the black population.
“It’s just so important that we as African Americans take hold of our healthy eating because most any diagnosis that you have, African Americans lead on all of them,” she said.
The meals are meant to encourage that lifestyle from all aspects of eating; not just the food. Those who come to the meal, especially children, are encouraged to wash their hands and sit at a table with friends to enjoy the meal slowly.
Eating while sitting down is thought to help people to think about what they are eating and whether it is healthy for them.
Monday’s spaghetti and garlic bread was served in portioned sizes doled out by volunteers. Those eating the meal also had healthy choices for beverages: milk or water.
Cheryl Lummis, a nurse and diabetic educator at Audrain Medical Center, spoke to those who came for Monday’s meal about the importance of eating food in the correct portion size and eating slowly enough to digest them fully.
“These meals are to help people learn healthier portions and also learn to make healthier choices,” she said.
She said losing weight does not always have to involve giving up food that tastes good, but requires moderation when eating those foods, such as the spaghetti and fried chicken.
“You can have those things,” she said. “You just can’t have too much of it.”
Lummis said eating slowly helps people judge when they are full. She said it takes the body 20 minutes to signal to the brain that it is satisfied, so people who eat quickly may end up eating more than they need before getting that signal. She urged the group to eat Monday’s meal slowly as a first step in starting their healthy diets.
“You want to feel satisfied, but so many of us don’t know how to do that, because we don’t pay attention,” she said. “My challenge to you guys is to sit, taste your food and really enjoy it.”
Mexico resident Sandy Lecoque was among the first to get her food, lining up with other adults to receive the bowls of spaghetti and salad. As she sat down at her table, she said the program would be helpful in getting people to maintain a healthier diet and lifestyle.
“I think it’s a really good idea,” she said.
The meals are served at 5 p.m. every Monday through Friday until Sept. 3 at the church’s Family Life Center, 418 E. Breckenridge. To receive a meal, all someone has to do is sign their name at the door. Volunteers to help serve the meal are also welcome. For more information about the program, contact Denise Harrington at (573) 581-7106.
